MMORPG.com’s Guild Wars 2 Live-Stream Interview Wrap Up (Recording)

MMORPG.com has partnered with the Guild Wars 2 team for an exclusive Live Stream Q&A with Jon Peters at 10:00 a.m. PST (1:00 p.m. EST) about professions and traits in Guild Wars 2. We’ve compiled your questions to ask during the interview.

** UPDATE #2** The interview has been posted to youtube and added to this post.

PVP class balance:

They believe utility is spread around evenly to all the classes, and the majority of current balancing is just playing the numbers game. AE’s he expects will be ineffective in pvp vs good players.

To counter the healing all classes have, poison is a healing debuff. Through combos every class can get poison attached to their attacks. Necro and Thief have posion as base skills.

The new trait system:

The old trait system of events to gain them has been replaced with them automatically being provided each level after 10. The events have been merged into Utility skill slot points to ensure no content was lost. These will still help to teach players how to counter the various combat mechanics in game.

The Diverse trait system will allow for many viable builds.

They are working to ensure the problem in Guild Wars with too many options but only a few real builds is not repeated.

Attribute points gained from the trait lines are bonuses and the real power comes from the minor and major traits themselves.

You can customize classes to break the traditional molds. Mages that tank and Warriors that heal though they may not be as effective as other classes in those roles. Jon gave an example of a support healing warrior he plays using a trait that turns his utility shouts into area effect heals. While using a mace and shield to mitigate damage.

General game play information:

Guild wars 2 a player is free to choose how they want to spend their time progressing their character.

Water environments and combat is as flushed out as it is oh land but with about a quarter of the content.

Pet AI like many things is not nearly done and will be worked on to ensure it is ready for release. As people has learned from the press CBT videos pets need a lot of work.

There will be no ability to /duel people in guild wars 2. Instead you can utilize the fps style pvp game lobby and go to empty games with your friends to mess around.

While most of the information provided in this interview will not be new to those that are die hard fans, it is nice to see the continuity in development ideology from the various developers. I’m glad to see them not only talk about their triumphs but also what they see to be weaknesses and letting the community know they are working on it. It is the small weaknesses that developers often ignore that accumulate and end the games life. Hopefully ArenaNet will keep this energy and motivation well into the future. Ensuring the game is not only a success but more importantly it is FUN!